Folding stanchion for lumber-cars.



No. 819,585. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906.

J. s. ONEAL. FOLDING STANGHION FOR LUMBER CARS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.5. 190 6.

JAMES S. ONEAL, OF VALDOSTA, GEORGIA.

FOLDING STANCHION FOR LUMBER-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1906.

Application filed February 5, 1906- Serial No 299,532.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. ONEAL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Valdosta, in the county of Lowndes and State of Georgia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Stanchions forLumber-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a folding stanchion or stake for a lumber-car;and it consists, essentially, of a pivoted stanchion or stake which isadapted to be lowered and extend longitudinally with respect to the sideof the car-body when not in use or to be raised and held in positiveworking position through the medium of a safety-key or detachableholding means which prevents the stanchion or stake from movingaccidentally out of operative position.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a stanchion or stakeof the class specified which is held against displacement from anoperative position by the vibration, jar, or movement of the car and theweight of lumber thereon, but which may be readily thrown down to clearthe platform of the car to facilitate loading and unloading operations.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of acar-body, showing the improved stanchion or stake applied thereto andillustrated in operative position in full lines and in lowered positionin dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one of thestakes in upright position and the holding means or safety-key therefor.Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the carbody and one ofthe stanchions or stakes, the latter being in erect position. Fig. 4 isa top plan view of a portion of the car-body, showing the stake orstanchion lowered and particularly illustrating the shape of the openportion of the socket for the stake or stanchion. Fig. 5 is a detailperspective View of one of the stake or stanchion blocks or members.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a car-body having a flat bed 2 of that typeusually employed in transporting lumber and analogous material or soconstructed that loading and unloading operations may be expeditiouslycarried on with respect thereto. This class of cars is usually providedwith stanchions or stakes arranged along opposite sides thereof atintervals for retaining the load in position on the bed. The improvedform of stanchion or stake is removably held in a socket at the side ofthe car and frequently becomes lost or is replaced by a crudesubstitute, which materially affects the general car organization. Othertypes of stanchions or stakes have been used embodying improvements formovably holding the same in connection with the car-body, but suchstanchions or stakes have been found by practical use to lack strengthand durability as well as positiveness in retention in upright positionor when in use and frequently become displaced by the weight of the loadof lumber or analogous material on the bed of the car. The presentinvention contemplates the pro vision of double socket blocks or members3 at opposite sides of the car, which are held in place by suitableclips or analogous devices 4. Each of the socket blocks or members hastwo vertically-disposed sockets 5 and 6 formed therein, the socket 5being open at one side, as at 7, to receive the improved stanchion orstake 8, pivotally connected at its lower end in a manner which will bemore fully hereinafter specified. The socket 6 is adapted to removablyreceive a safety-key 9, formed of wood or'metal and held intact with thebody of the car by a coupling-chain or other analogous device 10. Thissafety-key when removed from its socket 6 is held at one end of theblock or member 3 and maintained in this position by a hooked arm 11, sothat it may always be in convenient reaching distance for use in theblock or member 3. The bed 2, in line with the socket 6, has a slightrecess 12 formed therein to provide a seat for the reception of-aportion of the safety-key 9, and thus assists in maintaining the saidkey in roper position in the block or member 3.

en the stanchion or stake 8, is lowered, it is held by anoutwardly-projecting hook 13, also secured to the side of the car at asuitable distance from the adjacent end of the block or member 3, andloosely surrounding and movable on the stanchion or stake is acoupling-link 14, comprising two loops, one of which is engaged by thestanchion or stake, and the other when the said stake or stanchion iserected is disposed over the socket 6 and has the safety-key 9 insertedtherethrough to prevent the stanchion or stake from accidentally movingout of position, particularly after the parts have become worn and areliable to work loose.

The pivotal means for each stanchion or stake includes an eyebolt 15,the eye of which is secured on the lower end of the stanchion 0r stakeand the bolt movably projected through an opening 16 and having a nutand washer 17 on its inner screw-threaded extremity. Washers are alsoplaced against the outer and inner portions of the car-body where thebolt passes therethrough, and between the inner washers a spring 18 isinterposed and permits the eyebolt to have ayielding action, and alsocompensates for wear and holds the lower end of the stanchion or stakein close relation to the car side. This particular -pivot arrangementalso permits the stanchion or stake to give way or yield slightly at itslower extremity during its re verse movements, and the tension of thespring can be regulated by adjusting the nut and washer at the innerextremity of each bolt, as will be readily understood.

The walls 20 and 21 of the socket5 adj a cent to the side opening 22 areinclined inwardly toward the side of the car-body. By this means thestake or stanchion is caused to slightly draw outwardly when elevatedand engage said socket and set up a tight engagement with the stanchionand restriction as to loose movement of the latter by drawing againstthe spring engaging the eyebolt 15.

Each stanchion or stake 8 is preferably formed of metal and is tubular,and connected to the upper end thereof is a chain 19, the two chains ofthe opposite stanchions or stakes having coupling means for securingthem over the load of lumber or other material. All the parts will bepreferably constructed of metal, though wood may be used in theformation of the safety-key, and the double coupling-link is preferablyof the laplink type to facilitate the application thereof to thestanchion or stake. It is not essential, however, that the coupling-linkbe of this precise form or type of link, but may be produced in otherways. By forming the same with double loops or eyes it will be held inmore convenient position for securing the stanchion or stake in uprightposition and facilitate the arrangement thereof across the block ormember 3 so as to bring the disengaged loop thereof in alinement withthe socket 6.

The improved stanchion or stake may be readily applied to cars now inuse at a comparatively small expense, and it is obvious that the contourof the stanchion or stake may be modified at will and a correspondingchange be made in the shape of each socket 5.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A car-bodyhaving a stanchion or stake pivotally connected thereto, a coupling-linkengaging the stanchion, and a safety-key for removably assing through apart of the said link to relia hly hold the stanchion in uprightposition.

2. A car having a socket member with a socket therein open at one sideof the member, a stanchion pivotally secured to the car and movable intoand outwardly from the said socket, and a removable safety-key forholding the stanchion in immovable relation with respect to the socketmember.

3. A car having a socket member secured to the side thereof and providedwith two sockets, one of which opens through one end of the member, astanchion pivotally connected to the car-body and movable into and outof the socket opening through one end of the member, a coupling-linkcarried by the stanchion, and a safety-key to engage the coupling-linkand the remaining socket of the member.

4. A car having a member secured to the side thereof and formed with asocket opening through one side of the member, a stanchion pivotallyheld against the car side and movable inwardly and outwardly through theopen side of the member and adjustable from an upright to a horizontalposition, and a hooked arm secured to the side of the car adjacent tothe member with a socket therein for receiving the stanchion whenlowered to a horizontal position. i

5. A car having a side socket member with two sockets therein, astanchion or stake pivoted to the side of the car and movable into andout of one of the sockets, a con ling means carried bythe stanchion orsta e, a safety-key removably fitted in the remaining socket andinsertible through the said coupling means to hold the stanchion orstake in positive upright position, and means for connecting andsupporting the safety-key with relation to the side of the car.

6. A car having a stanchion or stake provided with pivotal meansconnected to the lower extremity thereof and including an eyeboltprojected through the car side and having a spring on its inner portion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit nesses.

JAMES S. ONEAL. Witnesses:

L. C. VARNESLOE, O. G. CODY.

IIS

